Just changed spark plugs...never believe the previous person was capable of anything?

Just changed my plugs. Used NGK platinums (7092). I assumed, as well as the truck was taken care of when I bought it that I'd need not worry about plugs for a big...pulled these beauties out. Btw. The only 2 that needed a wrench to turn out were front on each side. They'd obviously been changed but fuck! Didn't even have to try to loosen the rest.

 

Oh nice. Only thing better than anti seize is .05 in/lbs of torque

 

Just a heads up to everyone that these plugs on our trucks should be re-snugged every 5-8k miles. I’ve learned this as fact since taking over maintenance on my truck. Something about the design and contraction/expansion of our engines causes this. Its normal it seems. Just snug them down every so often for a better running truck.

Your plugs look a little oily which I think is normal on our trucks as they run rich. Your coil packs are gnarly looking, but as long as they have no cracks then you are ok. I replaced all of mine as most were cracked.

I keep a rolling set of spark plugs that I swap in during maintenance. Clean the removed ones and put them in at the next swap until they expire. Helps me monitor engine health.

 

I’ve read anti-seize is not good as it can cause hot spots and pre-ignition problems. Most quality plugs like Denso/NGK have an unseen anti-seize coating already on them.

 

I was told if the threads are silver, DO NOT use anti seize. NGK specifically says not to use it like you said.

I think some people are so afriad of over tightening them they don't go far enough.

Is it 13ft lbs for our trucks?

 

I am not sure about the proper torque level, as I’ve always gone by feel and/or followed the directions on the spark plug box with the cartoon hand model showing a snug plus 1/4 turn drawing.

I’ve snugged mine like the box says and came back 8k miles later and half were a little loose (looser than when I first installed). I know I snugged them fairly good from memory.

When I took back over maintenance a year and a half ago, the last time the plugs were checked was 30k miles prior and all were very loose.

 

I know, the more loose the plug was the worse the coil pack looked.
I forgot to add, the plugs I got were gapped to .031. Manual says .043. a good friend and great mechanic said he'd probably not worry much about the difference. Our trucks should be able to adjust or something to that effect.

As far as torque, there's a crush washer on the ngks I used. I was going to go buy factory torque spec but he said that that needs to be crushed so when you start tightening and it starts to get a little bit stiffer you can feel it crush and then when it starts to get harder stop. I imagine you end up with the same outcome.

Does seem smoother on acceleration and running in general.

 

The problem with anti seize is most people way over do it. I've got a small tube of it that may hold a 1/8 of an ounce. I've done a lot of projects over the last 2 years and still have some left.

 

The cool thing is NGK already has the coating on the threads so its not even needed at all.

As many plugs as I’ve changed out in the many Japanese cars I’ve owned not one was ever seized. Probably due to the Japanese factory coating, which by the way I never realized was a thing until recently. The Japanese started doing this many years ago.

 

Your compression is restored!

 

Same experience here. Its not something I've ever worried about.

 

Interesting didn't know that either. It's just a religion to me. I have a can of spray white lithium grease that I'll use on dry holes like on the suspension.

I've changed out 2 sets of plugs recently on the wife's car and on another. Both sets had 150K on them and I swear they could be regapped and put back in. But I am going to make it a point to check mine for snugness. I'll go ahead and change them at 100K but that's 17K away and probably will be 2 years.

 

Don't like wasting money no more than the next person but when it comes to plugs, whether it's my yard equipment or other play things, new plugs is something I don't mind doing regardless. It's similar to our 2017 Highlander, I'm still not convinced I want to go 10K miles on the oil, so I'm still doing my normal of every 3K miles.

 

I was taught in service school that proper plug gap was not only necessary for the ignition system to operate efficiently but to also allow enough air/fuel mixture to be between the electrodes for proper ignition which is especially critical with the lean mixtures newer cars use. That is why spark plug gaps have increased.

 

Pretty much what I learned from reading up. This dude knows his shit. I'm more irritated that NGK has their shit gapped wrong. The crappy looking bosch I pulled were at .040 except for the obvious 1. I may regap, if I notice erratic idle or things of that nature. Does this truck qualify as a"newer" vehicle? IDK.

 

Yes it does. Plug gaps off by .012 you will definitely notice the engine not running smooth. Two or three thousands I wouldn't worry. I'm anal and check and adjust the gap of every plug that I install. I don't trust so called "pre gapped plugs" to be gapped correctly.

 

That's a cheesy wrench you used if ever seen! But not your problem until told differently. Don't ever use thin metal stamped tools on a vehicles motor, ever. At least buy real deal lower line professional mechanic tools like Craftsman from Sears. Even if a wrench for spark plugs is possible, always use the correct sized spark plug socket or deep well socket instead.

Anti seize, especially lithium grease, reduces torque value to the point of easily stripping the threads...Even with a torque wrench. Don't use lithium grease for anything because your a novice.

You complaint is long preceded why novices choose to learn and do their own mechanics as the experienced already do with their old and even new vehicles.

Good luck and spend your cash on an OEM Toyota Shop Repair Manual to give you the best information before asking others. Most answer and don't know what their talking about. Not good for someone like you!

 

Denso plugs

 

Well Said, if a little harsh. My father told me always by the best you can afford. That way you only have to buy it once. When I first got married I use to tell my wife I can either pay someone to do the work for me or I can buy the tools and do the work myself. The advantage is I will have the tools the next time the job needs to be done and we save evertime maintence needed to be done.

 

Tools get lost, stolen, broken, used up. Thats part of what makes something a 'Tool'.

I get what works, for whatever the price needs to be. Some have to be expensive, some do not. I try not to fetishize them, or anything else.

 

All plugs have a crush washer. Your friend's process is correct, that you can feel the washer compress, then when it gets harder you stop. That's the point at which you get out the torque wrench and tighten to the specified torque.

 

This caught my eye having recently done my plugs and I also thought I remembered you had a 2UZ-FE according to a pic you posted when dealing with your Coolant Leak. According to my 2004 owners manual and a FSM, 2UZ-FE should be .031 and 5VZ-FE are .043. Am I missing something

Coolant leak. Got home and found coolant on fender..shit

 

You prefer those to NGK? I didn't know which was "better"..

 

You are an analyzing machine!

Went back and read your link. Seems this engine has been tinkered/botched previously with a Super Charger. Not sure of the rest of history, but its a good baseline from which to work.

 

Either one of the two thats spec’d and on sale. Densos are way more expensive around the south coast compared to NGK.

 

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I have bad habit of second guessing myself now that I am back into doing my own maintenance and definetly NOT questioning what @Hi06silver has done. Just wanted to make sure I did not do wrong by leaving my new Denso's at .031 as they came out of box

 

Nothing wrong with double and triple checking. Pops always said to read the manual when in doubt. He even said to read it whenever I had free time sitting in the car ‘because you might learn something’.

 

What did "Pops" say about people like Toyota getting ATF quantity wrong in FSM

 

LMFAO! I hope you got off on writing that. Seems that way. How the fuck would I even use that to do the spark plugs?!
That "cheesy wrench" came with a table saw I just bought and that's what they expect you to use to put it together with. I did not, just as I did not put it near my engine.

As far as anti-seize, I don't think I mentioned using it for plugs. Or lithium grease.

 

?
You do have very good analytical skills.